


Sapphire in the Rough

by badgerandk



Category: Aladdin (1992), Aladdin (2019), Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Thrawn Series - Timothy Zahn (2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Aladdin (1992) Fusion, Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - Star Wars Fusion, Background Character Death, Don't copy to another site, M/M, Okay so the Grand Inquisitor is a puma, Poor Krennic didn't last long, Ysalamiri (Star Wars), no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-03
Updated: 2019-06-20
Packaged: 2020-04-07 04:50:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19077835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/badgerandk/pseuds/badgerandk
Summary: Aladdin Thranto AU.  Shameless fusion of Disney's Aladdin. To make this easier, chapters will be fairly short.Major Cast:Tarkin as Jafar (He really has the cheek bones)Eli as JasmineGrand Inquisitor (Esai) as Eli's strangely sentient pet pumaThrawn as AladdinEzra Bridger as GenieVader as IagoYularen as SultanMinor Cast:Krennic as Jafar's doomed minionKallus as Captain of the GuardLyste as Rejected SuitorVizago as Angry Merchant





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Tags and Characters will be added as we go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to star-wars-rebels-4 for the AU idea. Hope you enjoy!
> 
> Thanks to JessKo for the "The Cave of the Bendu" picture. Krennic is as dramatic as ever!  
> Second picture is straight from Rebels TV show and was not my creation at all.

Tarkin guided his camel along the path.  Finally, he would have results. It had taken him almost a lifetime but he finally found both the sith and jedi holocrons needed to open the Cave of the Bendu, full of wonders beyond even Tarkin’s greedy imagination.  However, all that mattered was the lamp. Retrieve the lamp and the world would bend its knee. The raspy breath of his intelligent black parrot, Vader, filled his ears as they got closer to their destination. His assistant, Krennic, followed on his own camel, muttering darkly about sand ruining his boots.  

Verifying the location on his map, Tarkin pulled out the holocrons and placed them next to each other on the hill.

“So, is something supposed to happen?” Vader rasped after a few minutes of waiting.

“Patience,” Tarkin said. “The old magicks take time.”  

Krennic was just leaning forward to complain about needing his beauty sleep when the holocrons began to glow.  Red and blue, they pulsed and then with a shiver, rose in the air to join with a bright flash of light. The ground shook and great slabs of rock rose from the sand shifting around bright cloudy-white eyes.  Tarkin couldn’t decide if it looked more like a giant rocky bear or an enormous lion as it shifted and spoke.

“Who disturbs my slumber?” A deep voice boomed from the rocky creature.

_**The Cave of the Bendu:** _

“Who are you?!” Krennic squeaked. Tarkin sighed and rolled his eyes.  Did the man not pay attention at all when Tarkin had explained where they were going?

“I am the Bendu, only one of pure convictions may enter.” Bendu spoke and then stretched even further up, revealing a cave entrance. Further in the cave, there appeared to be a long winding staircase leading down.   

“Now,” Tarkin said to Krennic, “Remember, get the lamp to me and all the rest you find will be yours!  Take nothing else until the lamp is retrieved!”

Krennic nodded, swallowing hard, eyes not leaving the intimidating sight of the cave.  He dismounted and approached, pausing briefly to turn back before continuing into the cave.  

As Krennic’s foot touched the first step the Bendu gave a mighty roar, “You have not the conviction needed!” With a scream, Krennic fell into the sand as the stairs melted away and with a flash of lighting the cave collapsed.  Only two bright eyes were left, “Look for the sapphire in the rough...” the Bendu’s voice seemed to echo across the desert as the sky cleared.

_**The Cave Collapses:** _

 

Vader coughed from Tarkin’s shoulder, “Foolish man. He always seemed so sure of what he believed. Though his ambition was greater than his conviction.  Now what?”

Tarkin felt his lips tighten as he bent picking up the holocrons. This was unfortunate.  Krennic may have been a fool but he was a pliable one. Worse, now Tarkin knew that he could not risk entering the cave himself.  “Now we find this sapphire in the rough,” he told Vader, remounting his camel to return to Coruscant.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Vader:    
>  [ https://live.staticflickr.com/8016/7313794480_be72a90a87_b.jpg ](https://live.staticflickr.com/8016/7313794480_be72a90a87_b.jpg)


	2. Prince Eli

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prince Eli is frustrated by his very stuffy suitor, Prince Lyste.

Eli stood, waiting again for yet another suitor to finish his introduction. He sighed, he was thankful that Sultan Yularen had adopted him but it left him with the status of Prince without the ability to rule on his own. Apparently, 1000 years ago, a shifty advisor had almost taken over the kingdom. So now, an adopted child must wed royalty to be eligible. At least Baba had been talked into allowing Princes to come and not just Princesses. Apparently, second and third sons were delighted to have a chance at ruling somewhere. Eli knew it would leave his kids in the same boat but he couldn’t help who he found attractive. He pet the head of Esai, his puma friend as he tried to be patient. 

Prince Lyste of the Kingdom of Garel apparently never stopped talking. He had been rambling for over 20 minutes introducing himself and expounding on the honor it was to meet the Sultan. Also apparently he had brought gifts of gold, gems, and jams? Eli wasn’t sure why, but Lyste was onto the fourth minute of just talking about the jams. Garel was not a major exporter of jams or jellies so it must be a preference of Prince Lyste. 

Esai finally padded forward into the throne room and the prince cut off with a rather high-pitched shriek. Finally! Eli stepped forward quickly, taking advantage of his friend’s cleverness. 

* * *

Eli burst into his balcony. The nerve of that arrogant popinjay! He was as pretty as a woman?! And should be protected? What did that even mean? Eli stood looking out at the city, frustrated. Esai pushed something into his hands doing that rumbling purr whenever he was particularly happy with himself. Fabric? Eli found himself smiling despite himself as he realized that it was the same fabric as Prince Lyste’s trousers. He dropped down to hug Esai. “I just need to get out for a while, see the people. They are who I am doing this for, I don’t want to leave them to be swallowed by the Kingdom of Tatooine. If only Baba would let me out of these walls!”

Esai hesitated and then bumped Eli, padding away only to turn, waiting for Eli to follow. Grabbing a plain turban and cloak, Eli scrambled to keep up as Esai led him past guards and snuck out to a side corner of the palace. With Esai giving him a boost, Eli made his way up and out. Out to see his people face to face. 


	3. Thrawn and Jess

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thrawn and his pet ysalamir, Jess, expect a normal day of theft but are surprised by a handsome young man at the market.

Thrawn slid through the crowded streets of Coruscant’s Market. He needed to provide a distraction to allow his pet ysalamir, Jess, to steal a bag of dates and hopefully filch a round of bread. He knew he could pilfer some jewelry, but he would only get cut rate prices. If he needed to, of course, he would but it was better to alternate both markets and vendors to prevent from getting caught or burdening the same merchants.

Looking out Thrawn paused, caught by the sight of a handsome young man. His hood had fallen off revealing a head of long curly brown hair braided down his back. The young man pulled his hood back up but Thrawn could see warm brown eyes in a dusky face. Thrawn found himself pulling closer, distracted as the lithe man stopped to look at a bread cart where a young urchin was staring hungrily at the bread.

“Are you hungry?” a gentle warm drawl asked, as he pulled a round form the cart for the dirty child. She grabbed food and with brief thanks left quickly. Thrawn moved closer, feeling the hint of trouble beginning to stir.

“You gonna pay for that?” the merchant demanded, grabbing the arm of the handsome man.

“What? Money? No, I don’t…” the young man sounded confused.

“Stealing from Vizago, huh?” Vizago the merchant snarled, pulling a short sabre from his belt holding the petite man’s arm out on the stall. “Do you know the penalty for theft in Coruscant, boy?”

“Wait! Please, we can just go to the palace, ask the sultan, he will pay for it!”

“The sultan?! Don’t think to mock me!” Vizago swung down as Thrawn caught him by the hand, halting the sabre.”

“Please let us not be hasty,” Thrawn meeting Vizago’s angry brown eyes with his own red eyes. He could see Jess scuttling up, if he could just keep the young man in one piece, it might be a profitable day. He spotted a bracelet on the slim man, quickly turning the blade down, reached and slid it off. “Surely, this will cover the cost?”

“Please, not my bracelet.”

“Trust me,” Thrawn breathed before turning to offer the bracelet to Vizago who took it, beginning to smile, “Yes, yes. Fine go!” he said sliding it into his pocket.

Thrawn bowed with a flourish, turning to push the bronze man, “Quickly now, we won’t have long before he realizes the switch,” Thrawn told him encouraging him to hurry, slipping the bracelet back onto his wrist.

“Won’t we get in trouble?”

“Only if we get caught,” Thrawn replied grasping the warm hand firmly before beginning to run as his deception was discovered.


	4. Introductions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eli and Thrawn escape the guards.

Eli came to stop on the roof with a laugh, watching as the guards faded into the distance, thrown off by the many loops and turns the tall ragged man had taken them on. His long black hair hung down to his waist, wild and free, hiding a rather handsome blue face and piercing red eyes. Tall and lean, with the odd ruddy brown four-eyed lizard curled about his shoulders, his new friend looked like he could pick Eli up with one hand (and likely rob him blind at the same time). Eli looked down at the bracelet on his wrist, thankful that it had apparently worked out. “Thank you, that got a bit out of hand.”

“Yes, Vizago follows the old laws quite strictly. Seemed a shame to let you be caught when you provided a far better distraction than I would have been able to provide Jess.”

This is Jess then?” Eli asked, offering fingers to the lizard, who carefully sniffed them.

“Yes my best friend, she is a ysalamir, do you have any up at the palace” Eli looked at Thrawn in surprise, Thrawn smiled, just a small upturning of lips, “You are wearing silk that is not sold in the market but is only delivered to the palace

Eli flushed, “Yes, I… I serve the prince. There aren’t any ysalamir up there but there is a panther.” Eli smiled, “My best friend, Esai, it is amazing how much he can communicate without being able to talk.”

“True, Jess also does not need words to make herself understood.” Thrawn paused, it was breaking the rules a bit, but he didn’t want to hear his name mangled on the soft lips that smiled at him, “Yes, I am Thrawn. Perhaps you would like to join us for supper, mister...?” 

“Well, my friends call me Eli. I hadn’t realized there were any Chiss in Coruscant.” 

Eli promptly regretted speaking as Thrawn grew pensive, “Yes, my family was traveling and there was a storm.” 

Thrawn looked away, and Eli placed his hand on Thrawn’s arm, unable to stand the loneliness that had come to Thrawn’s face. “I am sorry, losing family hurts, no matter how long ago.”

Thrawn went still for a moment before meeting Eli’s eyes, “Yes.” came the simple reply. 

Eli wasn’t sure how long they stood, just looking at each other when, Jess reached over and put a paw on Thrawn’s face, chirping impatiently, starting a laugh from them both (Though it was almost a huff from Thrawn, which Eli thought was charming). “I think someone is hungry! And yes, I would love to join you.” 


End file.
